A damage detection system

Abstract

A damage detection system, comprising: an elongate structure, wherein the elongate structure comprises a safety structure or a racking limb; a radiation emitter configured to emit a radiation signal internally to, and along a length of, the elongate structure; a radiation sensor configured to receive the radiation signal and output a sensing signal in response; and a controller configured to: receive the sensing signal from the radiation sensor; determine a damage status of the elongate structure based on the sensing signal; and output a damage signal representative of the damage status.

1 . A damage detection system, comprising:
 an elongate structure, wherein the elongate structure is a safety structure or a racking limb;   a radiation emitter configured to emit a radiation signal internally to, and along a length of, the elongate structure;   a radiation sensor configured to receive the radiation signal and output a sensing signal in response; and   a controller configured to:
 receive the sensing signal from the radiation sensor; 
 determine a damage status of the elongate structure based on the sensing signal; and 
 output a damage signal representative of the damage status. 
   
     
     
         2 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation sensor is co-located with the radiation emitter and the radiation sensor is configured to receive the radiation signal as a reflected radiation signal. 
     
     
         3 . The damage detection system of  claim 2 , wherein the radiation sensor is configured to receive the reflected radiation signal from a reference reflecting surface when the elongate structure is in an undamaged state. 
     
     
         4 . The damage detection system of  claim 3 , wherein the reference reflecting surface comprises any one or more of:
 a surface of a reflector positioned along a length of the elongate structure;   an end surface of the elongate structure; and   a surface of a second structure abutted to an end of the elongate structure.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The damage detection system of  claim 3 , comprising a plurality of reference reflecting surfaces corresponding to a plurality of reference reflectors positioned on an internal sidewall along a length of the elongate structure. 
     
     
         7 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of radiation emitter and radiation sensor pairs positioned successively along the length of the elongate structure, wherein:
 each radiation sensor is co-located with its corresponding radiation emitter;   each radiation sensor is configured to receive a radiation signal emitted by the corresponding emitter and reflected from a corresponding reference reflection surface; and   the controller is configured to:
 receive a sensing signal from each of the radiation sensors; and 
 determine the damage status based on the sensing signals. 
   
     
     
         8 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive trigger signalling; and   selectively activate the radiation emitter and radiation sensor and receive the sensing signal in response to the trigger signalling.   
     
     
         9 . The damage detection system of  claim 8 , wherein the trigger signalling comprises one or more of:
 a periodic trigger signal for selectively activating the damage detection system according to a monitoring schedule; and   an on-demand signal from a trigger sensor responsive to:
 motion of an object within a predetermined radius of the elongate structure; and/or 
 impact of an object with the elongate structure. 
   
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation emitter comprises an optical radiation emitter and the radiation sensor comprises an optical radiation sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The damage detection system of  claim 11 , wherein the radiation emitter comprises a laser source. 
     
     
         13 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation sensor comprises a radiation sensor array of a plurality of pixels, and wherein each pixel is configured to receive the radiation signal from a sub-volume of the elongate structure. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation sensor comprises a radiation sensor array of a plurality of pixels and, wherein:
 each pixel is configured to output a sub-sensing signal based on a received radiation signal; and   the controller is configured to:
 determine a level of damage based on a number of sub-sensing signals that exhibit a change in power and/or temporal characteristics exceeding a detection threshold; and/or 
 determine a lateral position of a damage site based on which sub-sensing signals exhibit a change in power and/or temporal characteristics exceeding a detection threshold. 
   
     
     
         16 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the damage status comprises one or more of:
 a damage state of the elongate structure;   a level of damage to the elongate structure;   a lateral position of a damage site;   an axial position of a damage site; and/or   an assembly status of the elongate structure.   
     
     
         17 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the damage status based on a change in power level characteristics and/or temporal characteristics of the sensing signal. 
     
     
         18 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the damage status based on a signal difference between the sensing signal and a reference sensing signal corresponding to the sensing signal when the elongate structure is in an assembled and undamaged state. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine an axial position of a damage site based on time of flight characteristics of the sensing signal. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output the damage signal by one or more of:
 activating an audible visual indicator;   activating a visual indicator; and   transmitting the damage signal to an external device.   
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of radiation emitters, each radiation emitter configured to emit a radiation signal internally to, and along a length of, a corresponding elongate structure;   a plurality of radiation sensors each configured to receive a corresponding radiation signal and output a corresponding sensing signal;   a plurality of transceivers each coupled to a radiation sensor; and   a server configured to communicate with each of the plurality of transceivers.   
     
     
         25 . A method of monitoring a condition of an elongate structure, wherein the elongate structure is a safety structure or a racking limb, comprising:
 emitting a radiation signal internally to, and along a length of, the elongate structure;   receiving the radiation signal and outputting a sensing signal in response;   determining a damage status of the elongate structure based on the sensing signal; and   outputting a damage signal representative of the damage status.   
     
     
         26 . The damage detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation emitter is configured to emit the radiation signal along a cavity of the elongate structure.